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Belonging to Palermo. A Story of Fans, Family and the City

🇬🇧 From the first morning we arrived in Palermo, people spoke to us as if we had been coming here for years. Not out of politeness, but because that’s how they treat anyone who shows genuine interest in their home and their club.

You learn quickly that Palermo doesn’t separate the two. The city and the club sit so close together that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. You see it in ordinary places, a café owner pointing to a framed shirt, explaining who gave it to him; a market vendor stopping mid-conversation to ask what brought us here; families walking through the streets wearing pink as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

People wanted to speak, to explain, to make sure we understood why this club is part of their lives. When they saw us wearing the shirt, the reaction was pride.

When we spoke with Javier Pastore, he talked about arriving as a young player and how the city took care of him. “Palermo treated me so well from day one,” he said. He had never forgotten the way people welcomed him, spoke to him, and supported him.

Everywhere we went, Ballarò, Kalsa, Mondello, the backstreets behind Via Maqueda, we found reminders that this is a club held together across generations. A grandfather wearing the colours of his club. Teenagers in the latest kit. A mother adjusting her son’s scarf before they crossed the street.

Then there is Renzo Barbera, unlike any stadium we’ve seen. It sits between the city and the mountains. You understand more about Palermo when you stand inside: the scale, the openness, the sense that the stadium belongs to the people who fill it.

We came to Palermo to understand the meaning of a football club. We left understanding the meaning of belonging. A place where being treated like family isn’t rare. It’s normal. 📸 @kornbluth taken in Palermo, Sicily by @theatlanticdispatch

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a year ago

ATHENS BELONGS TO US: A STORY OF GREEN AND WHITE, HEART AND SOUL

🇬🇧 When @luigidimaso travelled to Athens, he came to document the world of @fcpanathinaikos, one of the most historic clubs in Greek football.

Founded in 1908, Panathinaikos became a pillar of the game in Greece, its green shamrock crest recognised across Europe. The club’s history is carried by players such as Mimis Domazos, the legendary captain known as “The General”, Antonis Antoniadis and Krzysztof Warzycha, whose passion for the shirt defined a generation.

One night still defines the club’s place in European football. In 1971, Panathinaikos reached the European Cup Final at Wembley under the management of Ferenc Puskás.

But to understand Panathinaikos, Luigi had to walk the streets of Athens.

The green and white colours appear everywhere: on café walls, on balconies, in scarves worn throughout the city. All roads eventually lead to Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, known simply as Leoforos. Built in 1922 in the heart of Athens, its steep stands and tight terraces create one of the most intense atmospheres in European football.

Behind the goal stands Gate 13, founded in 1966 and recognised as one of the oldest ultras groups in Europe. When the flags rise, and the chanting begins, the stadium becomes a wall of sound.

What Luigi witnessed inside Leoforos was something deeper than atmosphere. The stands were filled with generations of supporters, men and women, old and young, grandparents beside grandchildren, all standing shoulder to shoulder in green and white, heart and soul.

A club, a city, and a story that continues every day in Athens.

📸 @luigidimaso taken in Athens, Greece by @theatlanticdispatch

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7 months ago

A Day to Remember: @fckoeln

There may not be a more beautiful sight in football than witnessing a sea of red and white descend upon the lush green grass of the RheinEnergieStadion on a day to remember.

The historic streets of Köln were calm in the early hours before Die Geißböcke made their way to the city’s footballing cathedral as they took on 1.FCK.

The atmosphere made every single hair on the back of your neck stand up as the greatest anthem in world football echoed throughout the stadium. The sound of Mer stonn zo dir, FC Kölle’ would be heard long into the night.

After the grind, the setbacks, the questions, and the noise, the club stood tall once more. Champions of the 2. Bundesliga. A return not just to the top division, but to where they belong. Among giants, where history lives, where this proud club calls home.

The players gave everything. The fans never stopped. And when the final whistle blew, tears flowed, and friends and family, young and old, held each other tight and made their way onto their field of dreams. This really was a day to remember

This is more than football. This is family. This is Köln.
And the club are back home where they belong - back to the Bundesliga.

📸 @ranespruyt & @rutger_van_vooren taken in RheinEnergieSTADION by @theatlanticdispatch

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a year ago

FLUMINENSE ON FILM 🇭🇺🇧🇷 Libertadores Nights Through Tricolor Eyes

“If Fluminense played in heaven, I would die to watch them play.” Few words capture the devotion of @fluminensefc supporters quite like those of Nelson Rodrigues, the celebrated Brazilian playwright, journalist and lifelong Tricolor. For Rodrigues, Fluminense was never simply a football club. It was something inseparable from life itself.

The Maracanã provided another reminder of that extraordinary relationship as Flu welcomed Palmeiras for the first leg of their Copa Libertadores semi-final, and @mordjannnn was there to capture it all on film (plus a couple from the Flamengo game)

Founded in 1902 by Oscar Cox, Fluminense is one of Rio de Janeiro’s oldest football institutions. Its green, white and grená colours have become part of the city’s sporting identity, while its historic rivalry with Flamengo has helped make the Maracanã one of the world’s most celebrated football stages.

In 2023, Fluminense experienced their greatest continental triumph, defeating Boca Juniors 2–1 after extra time at the Maracanã to lift the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history. Three years later, the Tricolor are once again pursuing South American football’s most prestigious prize.

Against Palmeiras, however, the opening leg brought disappointment. Goals from Flaco López and Marlon Freitas gave the visitors a two-goal advantage before Wesley Natã struck in stoppage time to reduce the deficit to 2–1.

It leaves Fluminense with work to do when the two sides meet again in São Paulo next week, with a place in the Libertadores final at stake.

Fluminense on Film, however is about more than the result. Through @mordjannnn images, we return to the Maracanã and the people who give the stadium its character. The flags, the colours, the faces in the stands and the generations of supporters for whom following Fluminense is part of everyday life.

As Nelson Rodrigues understood better than most, being Tricolor is a devotion that extends far beyond ninety minutes.

📸 @mordjannnn
🏆 Copa Libertadores | Semi-final, first leg
📍Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 🇧🇷 taken in Maracana by @theatlanticdispatch

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2 hours ago

The Pride of Florencio Varela: Defensa Y Justicia

Beyond the international fame of Boca Juniors and River Plate, Greater Buenos Aires is home to football clubs whose identities are inseparable from their communities.

In Florencio Varela, @defensayjusticiaoficial have written one of Argentine football's remarkable modern stories, rising from the lower divisions to winning the Copa Sudamericana in 2020.

@lvtxliii reflects on what makes El Halcón so special, from its extraordinary journey to the intimate surroundings of the Estadio Norberto 'Tito' Tomaghello.

“Defensa isn’t the obvious choice. Being from Lebanon, I could’ve just picked a club that is internationally known, such as River or Boca, but my love for this beautiful game, as well as my love for Argentina, pushed me to dig deeper.

“My first experience there was the moment I understood why I really connected with Defensa.

“I felt at home. It isn’t this massive stadium where getting a ticket feels impossible, and you’re just another person in the crowd. It’s small, very humble, and everyone seems to know each other.

“Coming from Lebanon and being so far from home, there was something special about standing there and feeling like I belonged somewhere I had never actually lived.

As Mia explains, the club remains a reflection of the community around it.

“Varela isn’t the Buenos Aires you see on postcards, and honestly, that’s part of what I love about it. It’s humble, working-class and full of life. Defensa actually feels like a reflection of Varela, not something separate from it.”

📍 Florencio Varela, Buenos Aires 🇦🇷
✍️ Words: Mia @lvtxliii
📸 Photography: @esta.es.tu.gente.dyj
📖 Full feature: The Atlantic Dispatch taken in Buenos Aires, Argentina by @theatlanticdispatch

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2 days ago

THE ITALIAN WEEKEND: PART III 🇮🇹
Attraverso l’Italia. Calcio, culture and life on the road.

From the streets of Palermo to the mountains of northern Italy, the third chapter of The Italian Weekend continues as @lagentevuolsapere travels through the cities, stadiums and landscapes that make Italy such an extraordinary place to explore.

In Sicily, Palermo’s pink and black colours tell the story of a city where football is part of everyday life. Further north, the medieval streets of Ascoli Piceno lead towards the Stadio Cino e Lillo Del Duca, while Livorno’s port and unmistakable Amaranto colours offer another glimpse into the country’s diverse football identities.

There are familiar sights in Milan and Rome, alongside the traditions of Bologna, the historic streets of Padova and the football cultures of Brescia and Pescara.

Further south, the journey takes in Campobasso, Lecce, Avellino, Foggia and Cavese, clubs whose identities are closely connected to their communities. And in Naples, football remains an unmistakable part of the city’s cultural landscape.

But The Italian Weekend has always been about more than the ninety minutes.

Away from the terraces, Luca’s adventures take us to the shores of Lake Garda, through the landscapes of Lombardy, into the remarkable mountain scenery of Val di Fumo.

Different regions, different histories, different colours. From the great cities to the provincial grounds, each stop offers another perspective on a country where football, culture and everyday life are rarely far apart.

📸 Photography: @lagentevuolsapere
📍 Italia 🇮🇹
📖 The Italian Weekend | Part III
The Atlantic Dispatch — Go Somewhere. Find a Story. taken in Italy by @theatlanticdispatch

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2 days ago

Cremonese on Film: Calcio & Culture in the City of Violins

In the heart of Lombardy, Cremona is a city celebrated for its centuries-old tradition of violin-making, its historic piazzas and the unmistakable rhythm of Italian life.

But beyond the cathedral, the Torrazzo and the workshops associated with Stradivari, another part of the city’s identity can be found at the Stadio Giovanni Zini, home of @uscremonese

@lbajicphoto travelled to Cremona to discover a city of calcio and culture, from the cafés of the main piazza to the streets surrounding the stadium.

“Cremona, wow. Well off the beaten track compared to the usual Italian checklist, but it holds its own without even trying. The architecture, the food, the wine, the hospitality.

“Coffee in the morning turns into spritz in the afternoon, then wine into the evening. No one’s in a rush to move on.

“Inside, it’s a proper ground. No symmetry, no crisp bowl, each stand with its own character.

“From one side, you look out beyond the away end and see rows of traditional houses, terracotta roofs stacked behind each other, split only by a floodlight. It feels a real part of the city rather than just placed in it.”

And beyond the final whistle, the experience continues.

“Locals called us over; drinks and an impromptu bar crawl followed.

“Football was the gathering point, but really, it reminded us of what football is: one big social.”

A city of music, craftsmanship and calcio. And perhaps one of Italy’s most overlooked football weekends.

📍 Cremona, Lombardia 🇮🇹
📸 Photography and words: @lbajicphoto
📖 Full feature: The Atlantic Dispatch taken in Cremona, Italy by @theatlanticdispatch

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3 days ago

Taranto: A City in Red and Blue

Founded by Spartan settlers more than 2,700 years ago, Taranto is a city shaped by the Ionian Sea, its ancient history and a deeply rooted sense of identity.

For photographer @admphoto and supporter @anima_rossoblu , that identity is inseparable from @sstarantocalcio . Through financial difficulties, changing divisions and years of uncertainty, the city’s relationship with its football club has endured.

Both reflect on the meaning of the Rossoblù colours, the return to the Stadio Erasmo Iacovone and a football culture passed down through generations.

“Taranto is not simply a football team,“ explains @admphoto For many of us, it represents the city itself. It is a feeling passed down from grandparents to parents and from parents to their children.

“When the Curva is filled with red and blue flags and thousands of people sing for Taranto, they are not simply supporting a football team. They are representing an entire city. For us, red and blue are not simply two colours. They are Taranto.”

@anima_rossoblu explains why Taranto belongs to the people “We have experienced bankruptcies, rebuilds, changes of division, matches played away from home and periods when it seemed that everything was going against us. Yet the connection between the club and its supporters has never disappeared.

“That is why returning to the Iacovone was much more than just another football match. It was a return home.

“Taranto belongs to its people. It is not simply a team that represents the city. It is a team that the city feels is truly its own.”

📍 Taranto, Puglia 🇮🇹
📸 Photography: @admphoto
✍️ Featuring Angelo & Anima Rossoblù
📖 Full feature: The Atlantic Dispatch taken in Taranto, Italy by @theatlanticdispatch

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4 days ago

SOUTH AMERICAN NIGHTS 🇦🇷🇧🇷
Boca Juniors x Vasco da Gama on Film.

Soon two of South America’s most historic football clubs meet beneath the lights of La Bombonera. @bocajrs welcome @vascodagama to Buenos Aires for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semi-final, with a place in November’s final at stake.

Separated by more than 2,000 kilometres, the clubs share histories shaped by immigration, working-class communities and some of the continent’s most passionate supporters.

Founded in 1905 by young men from Buenos Aires’ La Boca neighbourhood, Boca Juniors grew into one of world football’s most recognisable institutions. Their blue and gold colours, famously inspired by the Swedish flag, have become synonymous with La Bombonera, inaugurated in 1940, and six Copa Libertadores triumphs.

In Rio de Janeiro, Vasco da Gama’s story began in 1898 as a rowing club founded largely by Portuguese immigrants. Its football team would later challenge the racial and social barriers of Brazilian football. In 1924, Vasco famously refused to exclude Black and working-class players from its squad, a defining chapter in the club’s history.

The two sides have met on the continental stage before. In the 2001 Copa Libertadores quarter-finals, Boca won 1–0 in Rio before completing a 4–0 aggregate victory in Buenos Aires. They went on to lift the trophy that year.

Twenty-five years later, they meet again. Boca’s blue and gold against Vasco’s black and white. Buenos Aires against Rio de Janeiro. Two extraordinary supporter cultures, with everything to play for.

Ahead of tonight’s encounter, photographer @mordjannnn has captured both clubs and their supporters on film, offering a glimpse into the colours, characters and traditions that make South American football so compelling.

📸 Photography: @mordjannnn
🏆 Copa Sudamericana | Semi-final, first leg
📍 La Bombonera, Buenos Aires 🇦🇷 taken in Buenos Aires, Argentina by @theatlanticdispatch

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5 days ago

THE ROMANCE OF CALCIO 🇮🇹
An Italian love affair in the heart of Modena.

Mention Modena and certain names immediately come to mind. Ferrari. Maserati. Luciano Pavarotti. A city celebrated for its engineering, music and gastronomy. But beyond the famous red of Ferrari, another set of colours has been part of Modena’s identity for more than a century: yellow and blue. And it was those colours that @calciocreativo went in search as he witnessed @modena_fc_official beating Hella Verona in an extraordinary game.

On 5 April 1912, the merger of Audax Football Club and Associazione Studentesca Calcio gave birth to Modena Football Club. The Canarini, as they became known, would go on to establish their own place in Italian football history.

Their finest league campaign came in 1946–47, when Modena finished third in Serie A, behind the legendary Grande Torino and Juventus. Remarkably, the Gialloblù conceded just 24 goals that season, the best defensive record in the division.

Their home, the Stadio Alberto Braglia, carries another piece of the city’s history. It is named after Alberto Braglia, the Modena-born gymnast who won three Olympic gold medals, including two at Stockholm in 1912, the very year the football club was founded.

Beyond the stadium, Modena offers another kind of Italian beauty. The Romanesque cathedral, Piazza Grande and the Ghirlandina bell tower form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Medieval streets open onto elegant piazzas, while the city’s culinary traditions have made its name familiar far beyond Emilia-Romagna.

Football belongs to this landscape, too. In the yellow and blue scarves, the matchday gatherings and the generations who have followed the Canarini through promotions, relegations and changing fortunes.

For those who know Modena only through its famous cars, there is another story waiting to be discovered. One written in yellow and blue.

📸 @calciocreativo taken in Modena, Italy by @theatlanticdispatch

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5 days ago

Where the Game Lives: Hamburg

On 7 December 1919, @hsv defeated @fcstpauli 9–0 in the first meeting between the city’s two great football rivals. It was the beginning of a relationship that would develop far beyond the pitch, shaped by the changing fortunes of German football and the social history of Hamburg itself.

Hamburger SV traces its origins to 1887, although the modern club took shape through a merger in 1919. From the Volksparkstadion, HSV established itself among Germany’s most successful clubs. Its greatest period came in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in the 1983 European Cup final, when Felix Magath scored the only goal against Juventus in Athens.

Across the city, FC St. Pauli’s football history dates to 1910. Based near the Reeperbahn, the club developed a very different international reputation during the 1980s, when squatters, punks and political activists became increasingly prominent on the Millerntor terraces.

The skull and crossbones, now recognised around the world, emerged from that supporter culture rather than a club marketing campaign. In 1991, St. Pauli introduced stadium regulations explicitly prohibiting racist and far-right slogans, reflecting the political identity its supporters had helped establish.

The rivalry has produced some remarkable results. In 1977, St. Pauli defeated HSV 2–0 in their first Bundesliga derby, while in February 2011, Gerald Asamoah scored the winner in a 1–0 victory at the Volksparkstadion.

Yet Hamburg’s football history is about more than derby results.

It is found in the terraces of the Volkspark, the streets surrounding the Millerntor, the port city’s working-class history and the generations who have grown up supporting these two clubs.

Different colours, histories and identities, connected by the same city.

Hamburg. Where the Game Lives.

📸 @pieter.slmbrck taken in Hamburg, Germany by @theatlanticdispatch

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6 days ago

Palmeiras on film: A Life in Green 💚

On Sunday, @palmeiras defeated Corinthians 4–1, adding another chapter to the Derby Paulista, a rivalry dating back to 1917.

For @sep35mm the rivalry has a particularly personal beginning. Raised in a family of Corinthians supporters, it was a childhood friendship that introduced him to Palmeiras. Today, he documents the Verdão and its supporters on 35mm film, capturing a football culture that extends far beyond the pitch.

“I’ve supported Palmeiras since I was a kid. I grew up far from São Paulo, and my family always supported our biggest rivals, Corinthians. It was a childhood friend who made me fall in love with Palmeiras.

“We used to play football together, and every day we would pretend to be a different player from the team. That’s how the club became part of my identity, my memories and the people I grew up with.

“Besides all those moments playing football with my friend, I remember watching games with my late great-grandmother. She would always ask when the next game was and make sure to watch it with me. When Palmeiras won the Libertadores in 1999, I remember her crying with happiness alongside me that night. It was one of the most special days of my life.

“Being a Palmeiras supporter has always meant learning how to suffer and never stop believing.

“One of the moments when I really felt this was in 2012, when I had the joy of seeing Palmeiras win the Copa do Brasil, and just a few months later, the heartbreak of being relegated from the Brazilian Championship.

“That’s why the supporters never stop singing and only truly celebrate when the game is over. As the famous saying goes: ‘A Palmeiras fan doesn’t celebrate; they finally let it all out.’

“Football culture in São Paulo is huge, but you only really understand it when you experience a match day.

“The stadium is only a small part of the experience; the real magic happens before, during and after it all.”

📸 @sep35mm taken in São Paulo by @theatlanticdispatch

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6 days ago